spirituality – Into the Wilderness

The Parable of the Prodigal and His Brother: A meditation on addiction and grace

So…this isn’t about plastic — I preached this week at First Congregational Church of Martinez. Thought I’d share:

Lent 20: Giving Up Single Use Plastic

Make a Change for Lent! Quit Plastic! This year, ITW will be attempting to eliminate or cut down single use plastic for Lent again. Here’s the challenge: First, try to cut down or eliminate single use plastics at home. Second, take action by participating in our weekly action challenges. Sign up. We’ll send out a…

On Hope

Helicopters were circling Berkeley the day the surgeon called to tell me she had found a tumor in my left breast. It was late April, 2017. I had just quit my job. In three days I was supposed to drive across the country to start an unpaid summer internship as a chaplain at a hospital…

Gratitude and depression

I was dreading Christmas that year, 2011. It wasn’t the first holiday I’d spend alone – it had been seven years since I’d been in a romantic relationship during the holidays, and more than twenty since I would fly back to my hometown. Not that family has to be romantic or genetic; when I lived…

Gratitude Month is Coming 2018

Daily Gratitude List: Make a list of things/people/furry critters you are grateful for and share it to the Facebook ItW Gratitude group. It really lightens the mood of your newsfeed! Each season, Into the Wilderness offers a spiritual challenge on Facebook. Join our mailing list for updates.

Advent Daily Text Prayer

Starting December 3, 2017 Stay in touch this Advent season through daily prayer. Into the Wilderness, in partnership with the Congregational Church of San Mateo, will launch our daily Advent text prayer project on December 3, 2017. To receive a daily advent prayer via text, text JOIN to tel:(510) 256-3366.

Gratitude Month is Back!

Daily Gratitude List: Make a list of things/people/furry critters you are grateful for and share it to the Facebook ItW Gratitude group. It really lightens the mood of your newsfeed!

New Spring Programming at Into the Wilderness

Online Morning Meditation: Online Morning Meditation, MWF, 7:00 a.m. -7:30 am Pacific Looking for a way to jump start your daily meditation practice? Start your week with Meditation at 7:00 am Pacific, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. We log in, have an opening prayer, read some scripture, meditate for 5 minutes, and share a bit….

Daily Spiritual Challenge: Try Something New (March 27-May 14)

Each season (liturgical or actual season) Into the Wilderness hosts a different spiritual daily challenge on Facebook. During the Easter season (March 27-May 14) Into the Wilderness welcomes you to a practice of renewal and rebirth. Each day, try a new thing and post about it on our Easter Facebook group. Could be a new…

Lent is Coming: Into Vulnerability

I hate giving things up. I have zero willpower. Seriously, for me, immediate gratification takes too long. So, what to do with Lent, a season that I used to understand as a time to give something up? The gift of Lent for me is this: it is a time to give up something/take up something…

Epiphany: A Practice of Wonder

Epiphany: January 6, 2016 to Feb 9, 2016 In Christian traditions, Epiphany is the manifestation of the holy/sacred in the world — a time of inspiration and awareness of wonder in the world. (see below for history notes) To celebrate the season of Epiphany (which runs from January 6-February 9) each day we will post…

Psalm September ’15 is Coming….

Looking for a way to jump start your daily meditation practice? Join Into the Wilderness for Psalm September. The psalms trace the full range and emotion of a life of faith — from lament to gratitude (sometimes in the same verse). Some of them seem completely annoying and outdated. We’ll read those too. Join us…